The Nissan Rogue is one of the most popular crossovers today. In recent years, it’s managed to even surpass the Toyota RAV4 – widely recognized as one of the first compact crossovers – in sales numbers in the US.
This shouldn’t be too surprising, given the fact that Americans can’t stop buying SUVs, crossovers, and trucks. The Nissan Rogue is not just the most popular crossover in America – it’s the most widely-sold car Nissan has ever made, and the first-ever car by Nissan to crack 400,000 sales in a year, back in 2017.
But how did the Nissan Rogue get here? In this article, we’ll take a brief look at the history of this top-selling compact crossover.
The Nissan Rogue – It’s Newer Than You Think!
One of the most surprising things about how quickly the Rogue has taken off among Americans is that it’s done so in only a decade. The first Nissan Rogue was introduced in October 2007, for the 2008 model year.
This was a bold choice, especially given the fact that the Toyota RAV4 had been in production since 1994, and was quickly becoming the crossover of choice for Americans. The Honda CR-V was also a huge competitor, and also had a much longer history. It was introduced in North America in 1997.
The Nissan Rogue had an innovative design and came with some great standard features, like ABS, a CD/Radio player with an AUX jack, and keyless entry, but faced stiff competition from other popular crossovers.
When it debuted in North America, it was sold alongside the Nissan Xterra crossover. Initially, sales were pretty slow. The company only sold 17,078 units in 2007, which jumped to 73,035 the following year. The first-generation Rogue peaked at 162,751 sales in 2013.
The Second-Generation Nissan Rogue – A Game-Changer
While the first-generation Nissan Rogue received some periodic updates from 2007-2013, these were mostly minor, and did not affect the overall body style and design of the vehicle.
All of this changed in 2013, when the 2014 Nissan Rogue was announced. This next-generation crossover was built on the Nissan X-Trail platform used in a number of foreign countries, such as Canada and Mexico.
With a more sleek and streamlined design, more cargo space, and a number of new and improved features, the Nissan Rogue was now a legitimate competitor among vehicles like the CR-V and RAV4.
It also managed to win IIHS Top Safety Pick+ status, with available features like lane departure warnings, object detection, collision warning, and a 360-degree backup camera.
With a stylish new redesign and a slate of advanced features, the Rogue quickly began to pick up steam in the market. In 2014, it sold 199,199 units, and these numbers continued to climb – peaking in 2017, with sales of more than 403,000 Nissan Rogues. It’s likely that, in the future, these sales numbers will only continue to increase.
Nissan is continuing to innovate with the current-generation Nissan Rogue platform. Newer models boast even more advanced safety features, including rear cross traffic alerts and blind spot warnings, as well as emergency braking.
A hybrid version of the car was also recently introduced, providing a more eco-conscious alternative to the traditional, gas-powered Nissan Rogue. And, for those looking for a more sporty experience, the Nissan Rogue Sport was released in the 2017 model year, offering higher performance in a slightly smaller, lighter package.
The Nissan Rogue Continues To Outpace The Competition
While sales figures for 2018 are not yet finalized, it would not be surprising to see the Nissan Rogue eclipse both the RAV4 and CR-V as the top-selling crossover in America.
With advanced features, a sleek design, and a comfortable and safe driving experience, it’s an ideal choice, especially for people with families, or who need extra cargo space for their everyday recreational activities.
